EP 17 — Free Form Fibers’ Shay Harrison on Strategic Partnerships and Cybersecurity in Advanced Materials

On this week's episode of the DIB Innovators podcast, David speaks with Shay Harrison, CEO at Free Form Fibers. Shay details the groundbreaking laser-driven chemical vapor technology that his company is pioneering, which aims to revolutionize the advanced materials industry. 

 

Shay discusses the critical role of strategic partnerships and securing capital to scale such innovative technologies. He also shares insights into the importance of protecting intellectual property and managing cybersecurity risks in a highly competitive market, especially for companies that eventually want to scale up and/or work with government entities. 

 

Topics discussed:

 

• The challenges and strategies involved in scaling cutting-edge technology within a startup environment.
• The importance of forming strategic partnerships to fuel growth and secure necessary resources.
• Insights into the process of securing capital to support the scaling of innovative technologies.
• Safeguarding intellectual property in a competitive market, especially for smaller companies and those looking to work with government entities like the DoD.
• The unique aspects of working in a startup and how diverse backgrounds contribute to its success.
• Current trends and future directions in the advanced materials sector.